The Better World
by Raphaella
Summary: Donnie unwittingly creates a world on computer and accidently sends himself and his brothers into the world. How do they get out... and can they?
1. Chapter One

__________________ |The Better World|  
  
  
  
Chapter one: ~  
  
"End of practice today, my sons." Splinter's voice stopped Donnie and Mikey, who were sparing together in their sewer home; in the space, which had been cleaned out only a few months ago to make room for a sparring area. His other two sons were sat amongst the trash and furniture that made up the perimeter of the sparring area. Leonardo was sat, cross- legged at the side and Raphael was sat on an old armchair, twirling his Sais. They were both watching their brothers fight until Splinter called it off.  
  
"You have done well, today. That was a very good practise. I suggest we now retreat to our rooms for the night." Splinter started to leave for his room, which was a lone compartment in the broken-down train. "Goodnight, my sons." They each bowed to their Master and said their 'goodnights' before the door to Splinter's room was shut and they were left on their own.  
  
"Hey guys," Mikey grinned, walking to the kitchen. "Who wants a mid-night snack? I got left over pizza!" He pulled out a cold, slightly gone-off pizza. His brothers gagged.  
  
"I think we'll pass on that one, Mikey." Donnie put a hand on his stomach and shook his hand at Mikey, making his way to the compartment he and Leo shared.  
  
"Mikey, put that away. It'll give you food poison." Leo muttered, half-joking. He followed Donnie who had disappeared into their room. "Night Mikey, Raph." He shut the door behind him.  
  
Mikey turned to Raph, who was in the doorway to their room. He held up the pizza. "You sure? It's the double cheese one!"  
  
"Mikey, throw that damn thing away before it starts growing." Raph said, disappearing into the dark room. The sounds of a few bedsprings groaning were the only noise in the abandoned sub way station. Mikey shrugged, looked at the pizza and had second thoughts. He opened the over-flowing bin and dropped it on top; it fell off the empty food packets and onto the floor. Mikey shrugged and went to bed.  
  
"Night, Raph." Mikey said cheerily as he shut the door. His brother, who was on the top bunk, grunted tiredly. That was fine by Mikey. That was Raph's way of saying 'goodnight'. Mikey shrugged again and climbed into his own bed; the springs groaned as they took his weight. He didn't close his eyes, but stared at the bottom of his brother's bed, thinking. He wasn't at all tired, but sometimes he never was. Master Splinter sometimes praised him for his extra energy. Mikey smiled. Sometimes when he wasn't tired he liked to talk: But unfortunately the only one to talk to at this time was Raph and he was usually tired. Sometimes Mikey couldn't get a word from him. When he's tired he's grumpy. But Mikey tries. Dares. But by the sounds of the slow breathing, he could tell his brother had already fallen asleep. Mikey sighed and turned over. He frowned as he heard the soft and almost silent hum of electricity in the wall, which meant, as he had so often heard, that Donnie was on his computer. Usually his brother didn't stay up this late, but then Donnie did get carried away with things sometimes. _____________  
  
"Donnie, will you turn that thing off? I'm trying ta sleep and it's not easy with you drummin' on them keys." Leo moaned in his pillow, facing the wall with one arm drooped over the side of the top bunk.  
  
Donnie pounded on the keyboard. "Uh huh. Whatever you say, Leo." Of course that was just an automatic response from Donnie when he was too busy to think about his answers. His drumming and clicking of the mouse continued.  
  
Leo groaned and buried his head in the pillows.  
  
A small knock came on their room door and Leo looked up as the door was pulled open with ease, trying to sound silent. Mikey's head appeared from around it.  
  
"Ugh, Mikey." Leo moaned. "Whadda ya want? You should be in bed; we all should be in bed. Go away, I'm tired." He pulled the pillow over his head. Sometimes Leo could be a bit grumpy when he was tired as well. Though no way near as so as Raph.  
  
Mikey tiptoed in and went over to stand behind Donnie, who had turned around to see who was at the door. Though now he had returned back to the computer screen.  
  
"What ya up to, Donnie? I could hear this thing through the wall." Mikey bent over his brother's shoulder, staring at the screen.  
  
Donnie glanced at the keyboard, than at the screen before explaining. "I found something on the internet. At first it seemed like an empty page, but as I clicked and wrote stuff on it, things began to appear on the page. It's starting to look like a treasure map, only without the 'x marks the spot'. It even had little dots as beings. At least, I think they are. It's lick every time I write something, say 'forest', a forest will appear or something that begins with 'f'. Pretty remarkable. I've never seen anything like this on the Internet before. It just opened itself on my screen." Donnie's fingers were a wizz of motion as they skimmed over the keyboard.  
  
Mikey gaped. "Coooool." He knelt down next to Donnie. "Type in 'dragon'."  
  
Donnie's hands moved again as the word 'dragon' flashed across the screen. A second later a horrible beast appeared on the screen and flashed. It began to minimize to the size of the other dots. It was placed in the castle. Mikey gorped. That dragon was exactly as he pictured it in his mind. Not one detail was different. Maybe it was because his image might have been the most common appearance of a dragon, but maybe it wasn't. Mikey shivered with fascination.  
  
"Mikey..." Leo moaned tiredly. "Go back to bed, please..." He stared at Mikey, telling him with his eyes that if he didn't go back then Master Splinter would hear about it in the morning. Mikey understood that look.  
  
"Alright..." He backed off from the computer. "I'm a- going."  
  
"Wow!" Donnie breathed from the computer, obviously staring at something good enough to make him say that.  
  
Mikey rushed forward again. "What?! What?!"  
  
Leo groaned and gave up. "Alright!" He hissed. "If you're stayin' in here Mikey you keep your voice down. You might wake Master Splinter up."  
  
Mikey nodded to his brother in blue and returned his gaze to the computer screen. "What is it, Donnie?"  
  
"This egg just came up on the computer." Donnie pointed with the mouse arrow to a lightly coloured egg, which seemed to be pulsing. The contents of it could just be seen and even though Mikey had only seen it for a few seconds, he could tell it was growing, changing.  
  
"Woooww..." Mikey whispered. "What did you type in?"  
  
"Nothing. I didn't type in anything." Donnie lifted his hands, palms upwards, in a shrug.  
  
"What's this? A pyjama party?" A sleep-filled voice said from behind them. They all turned to see Raph rubbing his eyes and looking at them curiously.  
  
"No. Mikey was just going to bed... Weren't you, Mike?" Leo tried once again to get his brother in orange to go back to his room. But Mikey didn't even appear to have heard Leo.  
  
"Donnie found somethin' cool on the internet!" Mikey said, turning back to the screen. He grinned. "And besides, we don't wear pyjamas!"  
  
"Ha, ha." Raph growled, sarcastically.  
  
"Go back to bed, Raph." Leo laid back down from sitting up. "And get Mikey to go with you."  
  
"What you doin' up anyways, Raph?" Mikey asked, hopefully diverting Raph from Leo's order.  
  
"Oh, the usual. My brothers can't keep their mouths shut even when its night, so, you know, kinda wakes me and I get angry." Came the reply, which sounded very angry indeed.  
  
Maybe that wasn't such a good question to stop Raph from forcing me back to bed, Mikey thought, biting his lip and praying Raph wasn't too mad otherwise he might wake up with a very sore arm or head. But luck was with Mikey. Raph seemed too tired to be in the mood for punching and his brother walked to Donnie's bed where he sat down, head bowed sleepily.  
  
"Heh, heh - hey, Raph. Look what Donnie found on the computer." Mikey quickly tried to change the subject.  
  
Raph looked up slowly to the computer screen, not very interested. "Amazing..." He lied.  
  
Donnie, who had been looking at the different species and information on this new Internet world, stopped clicking and typing and was silent. So was everyone else and the only loud noise was the hum of the computer.  
  
"Whassit Donnie?" Mikey frowned, bending lower.  
  
"It said my name." Donnie blinked.  
  
Mikey looked at Leo, who shrugged. Mikey turned back to Donnie. "What said your name?"  
  
"One of these creatures, here. My name appeared in a little speech bubble. Wait, lemme bring this thing up on full screen." He moved the mouse over a few little dots until he found the name of the species of the thing, which had said his name. Mikey knelt down so he could see closer, but when he did so he knocked the desk and the mouse cursor moved over to land on the castle - just as Donnie pressed 'enter' on the keyboard. Donnie didn't have time to say anything; Mikey didn't have time to say sorry: Before they knew it, they were each surrounded by a visible aura, a bright light, which glowed and flashed before diving into the screen, they felt themselves being pulled - and then they were gone from Donnie and Leo's room. ______________________________________________________________ _________________________  
  
Bright light. Bright light. Nothing but bright light. And then there was solid ground beneath them. The bright light began to fade quickly. They were left, blinded by the bright, white light; eyes trying to adjust to the darker shades. They were disoriented. Their heads spun and their bodies hurt. They couldn't move. They couldn't think. But like the bright light, it was all disappearing... Going back.  
  
Mikey blinked. His body was beginning to respond to the orders that he had been trying to tell them since a few seconds ago.  
  
Leo swallowed. His throat working for the first time in a few seconds of complete stillness.  
  
Donnie moved. He was aware of his whole body feeling like he had been beaten, but was not weaken. His skin tingled.  
  
Raph coughed. The first sound he had heard in them few seconds. It made his ears ring with pain and his throat scream.  
  
Their eyes at last began to focus and adjust to the new light. They began to gain their wits and realise they were no longer in Donnie and Leo's room, but somewhere else. Somewhere with grass and trees. A jungle or forest it seemed and looked like they had fallen into a clearing. Fallen? Appeared from thin air? Popped out from the ground? They didn't know. Their heads where still spinning and it hurt to think. They looked around and then at each other. Mikey was sat, sprawled, hands out behind him, supporting him; Raph was on his side, one arm bent under him in a funny angle and the other holding his front torso up; Leo was on his stomach and appeared to be in pain; Donnie was standing, looking about them all as if nothing bad had happened to him when he had... Been brought here.  
  
"What the heck..." Donnie said slowly, looking around. He saw his brothers on the floor and realised he was the only one standing. He rushed over to Mikey, who was the nearest, putting a hand on his brother's arm. "You okay, Mikey?"  
  
Mikey froze for a second before frowning and then looking up. "Yeah, I am. But I don't think Leo and Raph are."  
  
Donnie helped Mikey get up before rushing over to Leo. A cool breeze blew through the clearing and it seemed eerily quiet.  
  
"Leo. Leo, you okay?" Donnie helped his brother to turn around and sit up. Leo winced in pain and put his hand on his stomach.  
  
"Oh man, I think someone's put a knife through me..." Leo groaned, face screwed up.  
  
"No. There's no knife in your stomach, Leo. You must have landed on it funny. Or... Pulled a muscle or somethin'..." Donnie frowned. Where the heck are we? And what happened to Leo?  
  
"Donnie... Where are we?" Leo asked, his face unscrewing slightly now the pain was fading. He looked about the clearing.  
  
"I don't know, Leo... But we're gunna find out. Can you stand?"  
  
Leo frowned and attempted to stand; Donnie helping his brother get to his feet. Once upright, Leo began to wobble so Donnie had him lean his weight on him.  
  
"I'm fine, thanks Donnie." Leo smiled his appreciation. Then he and Donnie looked up to see where Mikey and Raph were.  
  
"Hey, Mikey. How's Raph?" Donnie called, one arm on his brother.  
  
Mikey helped Raph to his feet, who groaned in pain.  
  
"Erm. Not too good. I think it's a broken arm." Mikey said, looking at the bloodied mess of Raph's arm, which was resting at his stomach.  
  
"Nah. Just scratched it..." Raph winced.  
  
Donnie and Leo made their way over to their other brothers. Donnie examined Raph's arm, who growled again that it was just a scratch.  
  
"Just a scratch?" Donnie snorted. "Looks like you snapped the two bones in you're lower arm clean apart." He shook his head. "Whadda mess..."  
  
"Hey Leo. You alright?" Mikey watched his brother in blue, who seemed to be having trouble staying upright from the pain.  
  
"I'll be fine, Mikey. Thanks..." Leo reassured him. Then he turned his eyes on Raph. "How's he don', Donnie?"  
  
"Well, apart from the loss of blood, the danger of an infection and the fact that his bone had pierced the skin and is now sticking out... I'd say he'll be fine for an hour or so."  
  
Raph groaned and pulled his arm back.  
  
"Where are we? What happened?" Mikey looked around, like Donnie had done, through the trees and up at the sky.  
  
Donnie thought for a minute. "We must be..." He said slowly. "... Inside the computer."  
  
All three looked at him, frowning. "What?" They all said in unison.  
  
"Well, maybe not in the computer, but inside that world I was creating. I hit... The enter key and. We ended up here. The cursor landed on the castle so we must be in that world. God knows how though..."  
  
They stared at him and then around the clearing.  
  
"How d' we get back out? Back home?" Mikey asked, looking up at the sky which was a beautiful blue.  
  
Donnie shrugged. "I dunno. The way we came in? No. Well, I hit the enter key when the cursor landed on the castle. So, maybe we have to find this castle to get out." He looked at his brothers.  
  
"Yeah, but how do we know where this castle is? I mean, if you're right, then shouldn't we have appeared inside the castle instead of. Here?" Leo asked, slightly bent over from the pain.  
  
"I don't know, Leo. But I do know that we have to get you and Raph some medical help."  
  
Raph growled. "I told you, it's not as bad as it looks. I'll be fine, so quit worrying about me." His arm looked as though someone had rammed a crowbar through it and the bones had snapped and penetrated the skin from the impact. Donnie winced when he looked at it, but he ignored his brother. He knew it was serious.  
  
"There has to be some place here that might be of some help." Donnie more told himself than the others.  
  
"Well dudes, let's get going." Mikey walked over to Leo and indicated with his hand that he would help him move. Leo smiled and leaned an arm over Mikey's shoulder. They walked over to Donnie, waiting for him to decide.  
  
"Okay," said Donnie. "We'll move in this direction." He pointed to the side of him, where Leo and Mikey were facing. They both walked ahead while Donnie waited for Raph to go third. His brother just shook his head and walked off after them in silence.  
  
They walked in quiet for fifteen minutes before Leo had to stop for a rest. Something was wrong with him but they didn't know what. Mikey put Leo against a large tree and sat down himself. Carting Leo tired him out, as Leo was slightly heavier than he was. Donnie stopped next to a thick, grey coloured tree and peered around before settling his gaze on Leo. He didn't look too good.  
  
Mikey looked at Donnie. "Hey dude, I'm starvin'. There anything to eat in this place?"  
  
Donnie shrugged. "I dunno, Mikey. Might be some edible fruit around here but that's probably it."  
  
Mikey stood up. "Good. I'll go find some." He started off into the trees, looking high.  
  
"Don't get lost." Donnie shouted after him. He sat down in front of Leo and studied him. He was almost asleep! "Leo?"  
  
"Um?" Leo didn't even raise his head. His eyes were shut and his breathing quite heavy.  
  
"You really don't look well. How do you feel?"  
  
Leo raised his head and looked at Donnie. Eye lids only half open. "Like hell. I'm so God Damn tired. And my stomach kills, I dunno what I did to it." He put his head back down.  
  
Donnie decided to leave Leo to get some rest. He stood up and looked for Raph. His hotheaded brother was leaned against a tree opposite them, around the other side so Donnie could only see his elbow and leg sticking out. He walked over, silently and looked at Raph. He was wincing in pain; eyes shut tight, teeth gritted together. He wasn't aware Donnie staring at him until Donnie sat down and spoke.  
  
"You should let me look at that properly."  
  
Raph snapped his eyes open and the mask of pain instantly disappeared. He was slightly startled by Donnie's sudden appearance but his frown turned angry.  
  
"Like to sneak up on people, do ya?" He said angrily.  
  
"Only you."  
  
"My arm's fine now go away."  
  
"Come on. Stop kiddin' yourself. I saw the way you were wincing in pain. Just lemme see if I can set the bones straight."  
  
"Yeah right. I ain't letting you touch me."  
  
Raph, come on, look at -" Donnie was interrupted by Mikey's sudden presence. His brother had returned with some funny coloured apple-type fruit.  
  
"Got some!" Mikey plonked himself down next to Donnie and held them out. "These look okay to you?" He was holding what looked like blue, fury apples, slightly purple.  
  
"Erm, to be on the safe side, Mikey; no. Don't eat them." Donnie said, looking at the apples with disgust.  
  
Mikey frowned, shrugged and started on dissecting them instead.  
  
Donnie stood up. ""I'm just gunna check on Leo." He said. He walked around the tree to stare at the one his brother was supposed to be leaning against. He wasn't there. Maybe it was another tree. He checked all the surrounding trees, but no Leo. His brother had disappeared!  
  
~End of chapter one~ 


	2. Chapter Two

|The Better World|  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Two: ~  
  
"Leo!" Donnie rushed over to the spot where Leo was sat last. He must have just gotten up for a walk around, Donnie thought. He must have been feeling better.  
  
His shouts drew Mikey to him. His brother looked around for Leo as well.  
  
"Donnie, where's Leo?" Mikey asked.  
  
Donnie bent down to the spot where Leo was sat. He was defiantly here a minute ago. The flattened grass formed a small circle where the turtle had rested. But Leo wouldn't just take off like that with out telling us. Something told Donnie Leo hadn't got up on his own. Donnie stood back up and looked around. A sinking feeling was forming in his stomach.  
  
"Mikey," he said. "Go get Raph." Donnie continued to stare into the trees as his brother rushed off around the tree behind him. A few seconds later and Mikey's worried voice floated out from behind the tree.  
  
"Donnie." Mikey peeked out from behind it. "Raph's not here."  
  
Donnie stared at his brother. Something was defiantly not right. A sudden sound from behind Donnie made them both whirl around, weapons at the ready.  
  
"Who's there?!" Donnie called, unsure whether it was animal or human. If humans existed in this world.  
  
"Please put away your weapons." A hoarse voice called out softly from behind the bushes. It sounded old.  
  
"Not until you show yourself." Donnie barked sharply, Bo Staff held in front of him. He heard murmurs between this voice and others, though he could not make out what they were saying.  
  
"We mean you no harm." The voice called again. "Please, put the weapons down."  
  
Strangely enough, Donnie and Mikey found themselves obeying the soft voice. It seemed non-threatening. Mikey put his Nuchaku back in his pouch. Donnie only lowered his Staff. These voices seemed to have a hold over Mikey, and made Donnie lower his staff, but he kept it in mind that these voices were hidden and he knew nothing about who or what they were. They did, however, seem concerned, if Donnie could call it that.  
  
"Show yourselves." Donnie said softly. He didn't know why the change of tone.  
  
A rustle sound from the bushes had Donnie and Mikey stare at them as if they were transfixed to it. Then, the bushes parted and slowly an old man, followed by two others showed themselves. They were human, Donnie noted. But very old. Though what was strange was that, even though they looked so old, they gave off a feeling of great strength and power and wisdom. They all had identical, long, white beards and were all cloaked in soft blue and light purple garments only seen probably in movies of wizards. If Mikey or Donnie had ever seen Harry Potter, they would have immediately thought of Dumbledor. The men all had that face where you could never tell what they are thinking. They all wore crystal blue pendants around their necks, which hung long. They had Donnie and Mikey stood, staring into their appearances. When they had climbed from the bushes, they stood in a triangle shape. The one who had appeared first was centre and in front of the turtles while the other two flanked his sides, three feet back. All of them were looking at the turtles.  
  
"We mean you no harm." The first old man repeated. He made a gesture with his hand, palm upwards and Donnie and Mikey glimpsed a very intriguing tattoo, or something like that, imprinted there.  
  
"Who. Are you?" Donnie frowned at them, still staring. He was aware he was doing this but for some reason he couldn't take his eyes off the man.  
  
In answer to Donnie's question, the man smiled. "We are part of you, shall we say." He chuckled at Donnie's frown. "We were created by you. You created this entire world and everything to it."  
  
Mikey, who was behind Donnie, dropped his mouth at these words, eyes widened. He thought Donnie had just made the world. Not the people!  
  
The man continued. "We know all about you, Donatello. Everything you loved and wanted, made and wished for is what helped grow this world. You, and your brothers, are like Gods to this world." The man stopped and took a long look at Donnie.  
  
The turtle in purple only raised his eye ridges. Wow! Is this true? Did I really make all this? A realisation hit Donnie.  
  
"You have our brothers." It wasn't a question. Donnie somehow knew they did.  
  
The man smiled. "Yes. We do. But do not fear for them. We only took them to heal them. You will have them back in one piece. I feel I should introduce my fellow men and myself. I am Argrio." He bowed his head slightly. Then he indicated the man to his left. "This is Grilio." Then the man to his right. "Mishu."  
  
Donnie and Mikey merely politely nodded slightly to show they had listened.  
  
Argrio stepped back a bit and held out an arm, pointing in the direction of the deep forest.  
  
"I think you should come with us so all can be explained. I'm sure you will want to see your brothers." He said.  
  
Donnie looked at Mikey, who looked at him blankly. With no Leo to decide what to do, the leadership was now placed on Donnie. He nodded at his brother in orange and they joined the three men in a long walk back to the human homes.  
  
"Wow." Mikey awed at the city within the trees. Having just come from the trees, the two turtles now got a glimpse of the home Argrio had been talking proudly about. All about them now where beautiful building all either crystal blue, white, or both. Somewhere resting on the ground, others in the trees. Some huge, some massive, others small. Most of them were dome shaped; only few were just rounded at the roof. None were horrible and square like normal buildings. The little group of three men and two turtles moved further into the depths of the city, which they had been told was called The City Of A'Mire.  
  
"It's beautiful." Donnie said softly. He looked at the smooth curves of the buildings. Wonder what material they are made from. It looked like marble, but softer and more fluid like.  
  
"This way, my friends." Argrio was pointing with his palm to a building, which was half underground. The door slid open as the old man pushed a hidden button in a panel. He and the other two stepped aside as they let Donnie and Mikey enter first.  
  
"Wow." Mikey breathed again. He was staring at what he was sure a hospital. It wasn't quite like normal hospitals, but it had all the equipment as they did. |Some people were wearing the same uniform, which could only mean they were staff and doctors. The walls were almost transparent blue. That was the only way Donnie could describe it.  
  
"Follow me." Argrio motion with his hand again, gave a look to Grilio and Mishu, and swept off down a side corridor. Donnie and Mikey stared at each other and made their way after him, all the while looking at this and that. Mikey said an occasional "hello" to a few smiling people who came up to him and greeted him the same. All the people glanced at them excitedly when they went by. Donnie felt a little nervous but at the same time proud. These people looked to him as a God!  
  
Argrio finally led them off to corridors where the people where thin. Only doctors and the odd visitor were around now, most of them looking important. Argrio stopped outside a pair of double doors and smiled at the turtles, gesturing them to go in first.  
  
They did do. Pushing open the blue doors, Donnie and Mikey came into a large room containing a lot of expensive equipment and technology. There were at least twelve doctors and three nurses in this room, all seeming to be keeping an eyes on-  
  
"Leo! Raph!" Mikey shouted in surprise as he saw his brothers suspended in mid air, a few centimetres from the floor, each in a cone of fluorescent blue light. Their heads were down, resting on their plastron and their eyes closed. Their bodies were glowing.  
  
Some of the doctors looked up and smiled at Mikey's sudden shout, but they returned to their work a few seconds later having had a good look at their 'Gods'. On of the nurses walked up to Argrio and bowed respectfully, a glance at Donnie before her eyes turned back to the old man. She had dark hair, on closer inspection was found to be dark blue, blue eyes and a fair complexion.  
  
"Mírúr," she said. "Secí. Eht eno ni der sah na noitcefni." She looked again at Donnie with her blue eyes. "But they are recovering very fast and should be out of here soon today."  
  
Donnie and Mikey frowned at each other. One minute this girl was speaking a different language; next, she had switched to English.  
  
Argrio nodded kindly to her. "Thank you, Secí. But I think it is safe to say that in front of our guests. They are not violent people to our kind." He turned to Donnie and Mikey. "Secí said your brother, Raphael, has an infection. But not to worry. It is healing quickly." He smiled at Mikey's face. Argrio then spoke to a passing doctor, who spoke in the same strange language as Secí had.  
  
Donnie stepped closer to the old man. "Erm, what is. Er, what are you doing to our brothers?" He glanced at Leo before looking back at Argrio.  
  
"Your brothers are being healed. The light they are held in is fixing their wounds. Though Leonardo had no wound, he did have a slight pain in his stomach. Am I correct?"  
  
Donnie nodded weakly. That light is healing them?!  
  
Mikey just stared. Never had he heard of anything like a light healing things. It was all a little weird to him.  
  
Argrio offered them something to eat and a place to sit while they ate. There was a small, staff watch room where doctors had a small break while still keeping an eye on the activity going on in the room. There was a large screen to look into, so Donnie and Mikey could watch the doctors work on their brothers. The food they were given was amazingly tasty. Donnie could understand why Mikey went back for seconds. Mikey usually liked to eat anyway, but this time Donnie guessed he had a good reason. He couldn't wait for Leo to wake and see this place. Somehow, he knew he had only glimpsed a small section of A'Mire's beauty.  
  
After Mikey had finished his third helpings, Argrio had his granddaughter, K'aniá, take the turtles for a wander with his grandson, and K'aniá's twin brother, K'anor. K'aniá, who asked them to call her Aniá, was a beautiful girl about nineteen. She had long, purple hair and purple eyes. She was slim and had a dark complexion. Her brother, who was asked to be called Anor, was exactly like her; purple hair, purple eyes and thin. He did have a slight lighter tone of skin, but apart from that they almost looked identical. They were very nice and had great personalities, which meant they got on very well indeed with Mikey. He and his brother were taken all over the city, introduced to a few people and taken to some spots liked by Aniá. They stopped for a while at a beautiful waterfall set into a small cliff in the forest at the edge of A'Mire. Aniá said this was her favourite place and Donnie could see why. After that, they returned to the hospital as Anor announced that Leo and Raph would be awoken. He was training to become a surgeon there so he knew what was going on.  
  
"Whoa. I'm sure Master Splinter would love this place!" Mikey exclaimed as they walked down the corridors to the room that held their brothers. "Wish he could be here."  
  
They turned into the room where there were now only three doctors about.  
  
I sure hope they weren't all doing anything on Leo and Raph, Donnie thought. He had always been a little wary of humans, and the fact that they were doctors made him all the uneasier. Doctors at home would love to get their hands on something like us.  
  
"Donatello. Michelangelo. I trust you had a good wander?" Argrio strode forward to meet them as the double doors shut behind them.  
  
"It was great!" Mikey couldn't help but say with more enthusiasm that he would have offered his brothers. This seemed to please Argrio as he smiled warmly.  
  
"Good." The old man nodded and turned to the two healing brothers, bathed in blue light. "Your brothers are being awaken." He and the two turtles watched as the doctors swarmed over Leo and Raph, taking up positions on either sides of the turtles; another male doctor walked over to a control panel and flipped a switch. The blue light holding Leo and Raph disappeared and the brothers fell back against the pull of gravity. The doctors caught them and lowered them to the floor where they were already awakening.  
  
"Wha' da.?" Leo mumbled as he shook his head, gaining his vision back, and realising he was on the floor, doctors crouched beside him. He blinked a few times before lifting his head and looking at the humans next to him. Frowning, he placed his eyes on Donnie and Mikey.  
  
"Leo, ma man!" Mikey said cheerfully.  
  
"Don. Mikey?" Leo was still slightly disoriented. He looked at his brothers and then over at his brother in red.  
  
Raph had remained silent, but was frowning at all the doctors around him. What the hell am I doing on the floor? Where the hell am I?!" He stood up, shakily and was helped by Mikey, who had rushed to his side while Donnie aided Leo.  
  
"Yo dude, you okay?" Mikey asked Raph. He held on to his arm as Raph was swaying.  
  
"Mikey.? Where are we?"  
  
"Um, hospital."  
  
"Wha' the.? Where. We were in the woods. How'd we get in a hospital?" Raph was staring at the walls now, talking in his surroundings.  
  
"Erm, why don't you listen to Argrio?" Mikey led him over to Donnie, Leo and Argrio, who had already started to explain things.  
  
"Argrio who?"  
  
~End of chapter two~ 


	3. Chapter Three

The Better World  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Three: ~  
  
"C'mon guys! You gotta try this food!" Mikey exclaimed as he hurried along the corridor, brothers in tow. They groaned and followed as quickly as they could.  
  
"Slow down, Mikey." Leo panted. He was tired and still slightly sore in the stomach area, which did slow him down slightly.  
  
"You ought to have seen him eat the first time we went in there," Donnie said, smiling as Mikey rounded the corner which took him into the cantina. "He went back for thirds! I mean, I was stuffed after firsts!"  
  
Leo smiled at the thought of Mikey going completely mad around food. He chuckled to himself but that hurt so he winced.  
  
Raph remained silent. He watched warily as people went by them, smiling despite that fact Raph had put on a face that clearly said look-at-me-and-you're-dead.  
  
The three brothers walked into the cantina and found Mikey already piling food onto a blue, plastic tray. He looked up as the walked over to him.  
  
"Hey Leo, what you want?" Mikey didn't really need and answer, he grabbed another tray and started to fill that one up as well, then he gave it to Leo.  
  
"Um. Thanks Mikey." Leo looked at all the food. He'd never eat it all and he knew he'd feel bad for leaving so much. Then again, Mikey might eat what he doesn't.  
  
Mikey turned to Raph, who was stood next to Donnie. "Raph? Whadda ya want?" Mikey made to pick up another tray but Raph snatched it up.  
  
"I'll get my own food, Mikey," Raph said shortly. He didn't want anything on his plate except what he was going to eat. Mikey would have put anything that was small enough on it. Raph started to examine the food. He was picky, especially when it was food from another world.  
  
"Why didn't I just say that?" Leo said to himself, walking away to sit at the table Mikey and Donnie were heading to. Leo's eye ridges rose as he saw Mikey's plate. ¦And I thought he put too much on mine!¦  
  
Leo dug into his food hungrily. He hadn't realised just how hungry he was and the food was amazingly delicious. He had only started his food and yet Mikey was halfway down his plate. Leo laughed in his head. Mikey was such a guts at times!  
  
Raph joined them a few seconds later, hardly any food on his plate. Mikey stopped eating to stare.  
  
"Raph. Do you have a sight problem? There's hardly any food on your plate!" Mikey exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm careful." Raph glared at his brother then began to munch slowly on his food, watching the people coming in and out of the cantina.  
  
After they had eaten Donnie and Mikey showed Leo and Raph most of the places they were taken by Aniá and Anor. Leo was amazed, and Donnie was pretty sure Raph was, just he wasn't showing it. They were out for hours, and came back to the hospital when they'd finished.  
  
"So what do we do now?" Leo asked, as they were all walking down the corridors to the cantina, where Argrio had told them to meet him once they were finished exploring the city.  
  
"Huh?" Mikey looked at Leo, he had been smiling at people again.  
  
"I mean, how do we get back home? When? We should start right away, Splinter will be worried about us."  
  
"Yeah. Shame. I was starting to really like this world," Mikey said, sighing and looking around him at the people they passed.  
  
"Ah, there you all are." A Voice brought all their attention to look at Argrio. Without realising it they had walked into the cantina. "I suppose you are all tired? Well, I have selected four rooms for you - but, er, not in here. Can't have you sleeping in a hospital! No, I got you private rooms in a building we very rarely use. It's on the edge of the city but it's very nice, and big." Argrio led them out of the hospital and across the city. Leo asked him the same question he asked his brothers.  
  
"Ah. I have thought of that. You see, the only way to get out of this world into yours, is through the castle. But that's not all. Once inside the castle you will have to find The Pool Of Black Water. It is as it sounds. Just a pool inside the castle that, to get home, you will have to jump in. Unfortunately it isn't that easy. The room is a large room, big enough to hold a creature of enormous size that will do anything to ensure no one but it's master can touch the water. And even before you reach the room there are all the guards you will have to fight. I am sending you to leave tomorrow with some of our forces. It will be a dangerous trek. There are all kinds of beasts and things is the jungles around here." He waved his hand towards the woods.  
  
"Well then, bring it on. I prefer a good fight." Raph balled up his fists; actually exited they were going to get a bit of action. Unfortunately not until tomorrow.  
  
Argrio chuckled. "Not if the Lord of the castle gets his hands on you and brainwashes you. He will want you to join him. As you, Donatello, are the maker of this world and if he had you, he could do anything with this world."  
  
Donnie gulped.  
  
They walked in silence the rest of the way, which was only fifteen minutes. When they arrived Argrio was right when he said it was at the edge of the city. It was practically in the trees. But it was big.  
  
"Here we are." Argrio walked up to a control panel. He motions with his head for them to come nearer. Then he opened the panel, pressed a few buttons and told them to put there finger on a sensor pad. They did so and a computerised voice sounded to confirm identification.  
  
"Wow." Donnie said.  
  
"Well, this is where I leave you for the night. In the morning I will send my granddaughter over to wake you and you will be on your way home. If I do not see you in the morning then I will say it now, farewell, it has been a pleasure meeting you, safe journey." With that he bowed, smiled and disappeared behind a tree, heading back to the city. The turtles watched, looked at each other and went inside.  
  
The building was quite big. Bigger than it looked from the outside. It gave off the marble look and was, like the hospital, blue, though a lighter shade.  
  
"Niiicceeee," Mikey grinned. He ran up the spiral staircase and a few seconds later appeared through a door behind them. "Is this cool or what?!"  
  
"Very cool," Donnie agreed. ¦If they keep giving us things like this then we're not gunna want to go back tomorrow!¦  
  
They all moved further into the building, checking out the rooms. There were eight bedrooms and four of these were ready and made for the turtles. Ten bathrooms, two kitchens, one massive lounge and even a training area and a small swimming pool! Even Raph found his mouth was open. They soon go comfortable. Mikey was in control of the kitchens, Donnie was checking out the TV in the lounge, Raph was enjoying himself in the training room and Leo found himself in the poolroom. The water was just the right temperature, and there was no stinging chlorine in the water, though it still managed to keep that pooly look about it. They had only been in the building an hour and Mikey had already found out how to work the kitchen. He was soon calling them in for dinner, or a late snack as he usually says.  
  
"Food's ready, guys!" Mikey shouted through the mansion. He didn't know what he had cooked but it smelt good.  
  
Donnie came into the kitchen. "Um. Smells good, thanks Mikey." He grabbed one of the four plates Mikey had laid down with food on, then disappeared back into the lounge to examine the TV again.  
  
"Hey, smells nice, Mike." Leo came through, water dripping off his muscles, making squelching sounds as he walked. "Thanks, Mikey, you're a real good cook." Leo leaned against the counter, eating his food.  
  
"Where's Raph? RAPH! FOOD!" Mikey bawled. A few seconds later he was answered by a grunt and Raph appeared round the corner, his body glistened with a thin layer of sweat. He walked into the kitchen, sniffing the air.  
  
"Yours." Mikey pointed with a fork to the remaining plate.  
  
"Thank," Raph murmured. He picked up the plate, eyed the food, thought it was okay and started to eat.  
  
After the amazing dinner from Mikey, they all stayed in the lounge, where Donnie was still messing with the TV. It was raining outside now. After moans from his brothers, Donnie flicked through the channels, looking for a good movie they could all watch. They found quite a few that looked good, unfortunately they all wanted different ones on and they ended up getting into an argument. Soon Leo and Donnie were pulling Mikey and Raph apart, nothing serious, but they were getting loud.  
  
"Okay, dudes, I know what can sort this." Mikey kneeled on the floor with Leo and Donnie. "Rock, paper, scissors!"  
  
"But that would get us all out," Donnie observed.  
  
Raph looked at Donnie, then Leo, then Mikey. "Arm wrestle?"  
  
"No way Raph, you always win!" Mikey said.  
  
"Okay, drastic measure must be taken." Donnie stood up, gripping the remote. He held it up near his face. "I'm gunna throw the remote up in the air, we're all gunna stand in a circle, and catch it. Who ever catches it can have their movie on!" He looked at his brothers. They looked back and nodded.  
  
"Okay." Leo said.  
  
They all stood up hands by their sides, in a circle as Donnie instructed.  
  
"Okay, on the count of three."  
  
Mikey kept his eye on the remote.  
  
"One."  
  
Leo flexed his hands, ready to catch it.  
  
"Two.  
  
Raph bent his knees slightly, also preparing his foot, getting ready to jump and stick it out at the same time.  
  
Donnie hesitated for the added tension. In his head he was laughing.  
  
"THREE!"  
  
Donnie three the remote as hard and as high as he could in the air. His brothers jumped as one. He could just see it in slow motion. As he jumped with his brothers, they reached out for the remote, which was thrown way to hard and hit the ceiling with enough force to knock your head off. It cracked the ceiling and started to fall back to earth. While that happened, Mikey had fallen down, having tripped on Raph's out- stuck foot, and landed heavily on the floor. As the remote came down, it passed through Raph's fingers, still falling; it then just managed to slip through Leo's, still falling; it got past Donnie's cupped hands, still falling. Now the three were falling back to the floor, though the remote was further ahead. It was falling. Falling.  
  
And fell right into Mikey's outstretched hand.  
  
Slow motion stopped and the three fell to the floor quickly and heavily.  
  
"HA!" Mikey jumped up, holding the remote high to show he had got it.  
  
Leo, Donnie and Raph groaned. Mikey stuck his tongue out at Raph, who growled.  
  
Mikey jumped on the couch and switched to his channel which showed the film he wanted to watch. The others sat back down next to him, deciding that if they couldn't watch their movie, at least they would watch something.  
  
As the movie got into the good bit, Donnie decided popcorn was necessary. He got up off the floor where he had been sitting with Raph, and walked into the kitchen. ¦Wait. Do these people even have popcorn?¦ He was just looking through the cupboard when something told him to turn around. He spun, hands up in defence. There was no one there, yet he had the feeling there was. He took a few steps further, out of the kitchen. No one there. He looked down, something caught his eye. There was something on the floor, staining it. He bent down to look. Close up, he could tell they were muddy footprints. They were recent, too. And they didn't belong to him or his brothers. Donnie's senses told him to look up. As he did so he jumped back as well - just as an figure with a funny wooden bat swiped at him. Donnie jumped to his feet and readied himself for the fight. The man came at him again. Donnie dodged the bat, spun and kicked the man in the back. The man flew into the kitchen, but controlled himself and brought the bat round in a twirl at Donnie. Again, Donnie missed it, but his senses told him another figure was nearby. As he dodged the second bat, he dove to the ground in a roll. It was luck he had. A second man, holding a similar bat to the first, had brought his weapon down where Donnie should have been had he not rolled. ¦Where the hell Are the others?!¦ He watched the men as the slowly circled him. They were dressed in dark red clothes, almost black. A crash from the lounge told Donnie that his brothers were having their own problems. The second man came at him again; Donnie ducked to the side and delivered the man a hard thump to his head. The first man took this time to hit Donnie with his bat. The turtle dodged again but the second man had recovered quickly and swung a knockout blow to Donnie's head. The turtle was thrown to the floor, flashing lights blurred his vision but he was still conscious. He couldn't see properly, but he did see the colour green and hear a thud as one of men fell to the ground. A growl nearby told him Raph was taking care of the men. Donnie tried to clear his vision, but it was only coming back slowly. He only just saw the second man run from the building, taking the half-conscious man with him. Noises from the lounge stopped and everything was quiet. Donnie felt a hand pull him to his feet.  
  
"You okay, Don?" Raph's face was blurred slightly, but Donnie smiled.  
  
"Thanks, Raph."  
  
"Don? Where's Don? S'he okay?" Mikey rushed into the hall, Leo behind him. A Nasty scar was cut into Mikey's arm.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine Mikey." Donnie regained his normal vision.  
  
"Who where those guys?" Raph asked, looking back behind him to where they ran out of the building.  
  
"I dunno, but it's a good job we're leaving tomorrow." Leo looked back as well. "I think one of us should keep watch tonight. Then switch half-way through the night."  
  
"I'll take first watch," Raph said.  
  
"Does that mean we still can't watch my movie?" Mikey asked.  
  
They all groaned, but decided the men wouldn't come back. They checked all the windows and doors before they went back into the lounge to watch TV. After it had finished, they all said goodnight. Leo, Donnie and Mikey disappeared into their rooms while Raph took on watch duty. He walked around the building, listening out for anything. After a while he went to sit in the shadows under the stairs, where he stayed until Leo came down, looking for him to take over. Raph slid out of the shadows to show himself to Leo. Leo nodded and silently they switched places. Raph went to bed while Leo stayed up and watched.  
  
(Sorry this took so long to get on, but I've been a bit behind with this story lately, same with Mysterious Shadow (The Thing). Thanks to all those who have reviewed so far.more to come, soz if they're going to be late.) 


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